My nine-year-old daughter just let out a squeal like many Disney fans around the world, a “Descendants” sequel script has been commissioned from the movie’s screenwriters Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon who will also serve as executive producers on the project. “Descendants” is cable television’s fifth highest-rated movie of all-time.
Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer, Disney Channels Worldwide announced yesterday, “By almost every measure – domestically and globally – ‘Descendants’ has already become one of the biggest entertainment properties of the year and we’re eager to delve deeper into the unfolding mythology of Auradon and Isle of the Lost. This kind of compelling, innovative storytelling, alongside our animated ‘Descendants: Wicked World’ shorts and unique transmedia campaign, continues to lay the groundwork for multiple franchise opportunities across virtually every line of business at The Walt Disney Company.”
Disney’s “Descendants,” a modern-day coming-of-age adventure about the teenage sons and daughters of Disney’s most infamous villains, is a live-action, music-filled, dragon-sized adventure starring Dove Cameron as Mal, Cameron Boyce as Carlos, Booboo Stewart as Jay, Sofia Carson as Evie, Mitchell Hope as Ben, Tony Award-winning Kristin Chenoweth as Maleficent, Wendy Raquel Robinson as Cruella de Vil, Maz Jobrani as Jafar, Kathy Najimy as the Evil Queen, Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother, Brenna D’Amico as Jane, Sarah Jeffery as Audrey, Zachary Gibson as Doug, Jedidiah Goodacre as Chad Charming, and Dianne Doan as Lonnie.
The July 31 premiere of “Descendants,” a Disney Channel Original Movie directed, choreographed and executive-produced by Kenny Ortega (“High School Musical”) delivered over 12.2 million (L+7) Total Viewers in the U.S., including 3.1 million Adults 18-49, making it the #1 cable TV movie in nearly three years in that demographic. It also broke viewing records on the WATCH Disney Channel app where it has posted 3.3 million video views since July 24.
Also announced, Melissa de la Cruz will write a second novel as part of the ongoing “Descendants” publishing program. “Return to the Isle of the Lost” will publish in May 2016. The prequel novel, “The Isle of the Lost: A Descendants Novel” by Melissa de la Cruz, hit #1 on the New York Times Best Seller List (Children’s Middle Grade) for 13 of the past 22 weeks on the list. In total, four “Descendants” books from Disney Publishing Worldwide have been on the New York Times Best Seller List.
Furthermore all sorts of Descendants games arise. Poki offers a large selection of free to play Descendants games which can keep you entertained for hours. A “Descendants” mobile game from Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media will launch in November. A “Descendants” Karaoke App released July 30 and reached #1 in the Kids 9-11 category in four countries including the U.S. The “Descendants” soundtrack entered the Billboard 200 at #1 and six music videos of its musical numbers plus its end-credit song “Believe” by Shawn Mendes and a “Rotten to the Core” remix by Sofia Carson, have delivered over 254 million views on DisneyMusicVevo. The movie has also inspired creative fan art, fan fiction, fan song covers and fan dance videos.
On Saturday, October 17, the stars of Disney’s “Descendants” including Dove Cameron (Disney Channel’s “Liv and Maddie”), Cameron Boyce (Disney XD’s “Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything,” Disney Channel’s “Jessie”), Booboo Stewart (“X-Men Days of Future Past”) and Sofia Carson, and Kenny Ortega will celebrate with fans during an on-stage, music and dance-filled event at Downtown Disney District, Disneyland Resort, in Anaheim, California.
I haven’t seen the first one yet, but I love the idea. I’ve always wondered about their families, and this sounds like a fun one.